--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never read theory. I think that was to…" description: "\"I never read theory. I think that was to my benefit.\" — Nan Goldin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/nan-goldin-6289_benefit_i-never-read-theory-i-think-that-was-to_2320040.png" --- # I never read theory. I think that was to my benefit. ![“I never read theory. I think that was to my benefit.” quote by Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/nan-goldin-6289_benefit_i-never-read-theory-i-think-that-was-to_2320040.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/nan-goldin-6289_benefit_i-never-read-theory-i-think-that-was-to_2320040.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/nan-goldin-6289_benefit_i-never-read-theory-i-think-that-was-to_2320040.png) > “I never read theory. I think that was to my benefit.” [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A practical stance that avoiding theoretical study proved beneficial for personal artistic development. **In simple terms:** Skipping theory helped personal growth. Key Takeaway Trust experience over formal instruction. Themes art experience self‑education Mood defiant reflective Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - photography - painting - writing workshops Key Concepts creative practice learning styles Questions to Reflect On - When is theory useful? - How do you balance practice and study? A Different Perspective Lack of theory may limit technical skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benefit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect/) [Read Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-theory-2485326/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Theory Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory-think-306536/) [Think Benefit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-benefit-4789018/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [However much you are read in theory, if thou hast no practice thou art ignorant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/however-much-you-are-read-in-theory-if-thou-hast-no-practice-thou-art/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think that it's a benefit to have distractions because you don't overconsume yourself with what-ifs and you end up second-guessing yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-hamlin/i-think-that-it-s-a-benefit-to-have-distractions-because-you-don-t/) [Denny Hamlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-hamlin/) > [Free services like Wikipedia I don't think benefit anyone - they don't benefit the professional because they're not paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-keen/free-services-like-wikipedia-i-don-t-think-benefit-anyone-they-don-t/) [Andrew Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-keen/) > [I think a benefit is that we try to put it up in a short time. From the decision to do this mission until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-nicollier/i-think-a-benefit-is-that-we-try-to-put-it-up-in-a-short-time-from/) [Claude Nicollier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-nicollier/) > [In theory, I always think I should totally go back to school, because I don't want to start sinking slowly... I want to learn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/in-theory-i-always-think-i-should-totally-go-back-to-school-because-i/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I don't think that design needs theory, but I think designers need theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-drucker/i-don-t-think-that-design-needs-theory-but-i-think-designers-need/) [Johanna Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-drucker/) > [“There is no way to understand the character of the taboo rules, except as a survival from some previous more elaborate cultural background. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alasdair-c-macintyre/there-is-no-way-to-understand-the-character-of-the-taboo-rules-except/) [Alasdair C. MacIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alasdair-c-macintyre/) > [We're all embers from the same fire. Our ember winks out, we're ashes, we go back to the fire. I like that image. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/we-re-all-embers-from-the-same-fire-our-ember-winks-out-we-re-ashes-2/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [The benefit of living in a free society is that we all have the choice to be rich, poor, or middle class. The decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-benefit-of-living-in-a-free-society-is-that-we-all-have-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [The benefit to building a startup is that customers don't have the same kind of friction when they adopt new technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levie/the-benefit-to-building-a-startup-is-that-customers-don-t-have-the/) [Aaron Levie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-levie/) > [For us, my wife and I and all of my partners believe that corporations have to be corporate citizens, and individuals who benefit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walter/for-us-my-wife-and-i-and-all-of-my-partners-believe-that-corporations/) [Mark Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walter/) > [To use for our exclusive benefit what is not ours is theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/to-use-for-our-exclusive-benefit-what-is-not-ours-is-theft/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [Dance keeps me fit! It's been a huge benefit in my life and it will forever be a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-holker/dance-keeps-me-fit-it-s-been-a-huge-benefit-in-my-life-and-it-will/) [Allison Holker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-holker/) > [It's not always to the benefit of the story to have it so preordained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-woodrell/it-s-not-always-to-the-benefit-of-the-story-to-have-it-so-preordained/) [Daniel Woodrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-woodrell/) ## More by Nan Goldin > [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [No place could be less sympathetic to my politics than America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/no-place-could-be-less-sympathetic-to-my-politics-than-america/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [I'm very much interested in water and women in water. I've been photographing that for years although I didn't really know it at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-m-very-much-interested-in-water-and-women-in-water-i-ve-been/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [I think it killed my sister as the times she was living in were so conformist. This is a subject I really want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-think-it-killed-my-sister-as-the-times-she-was-living-in-were-so/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [American magazines are becoming very patriotic beyond belief to the point that I can't live there any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/american-magazines-are-becoming-very-patriotic-beyond-belief-to-the/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [I'm very flattered when people I respect like my work. It's like a dream of a little kid when somebody I idolised likes my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-m-very-flattered-when-people-i-respect-like-my-work-it-s-like-a/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [I always thought if I photographed anyone or anything enough, I would never lose the person, I would never lose the memory, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-always-thought-if-i-photographed-anyone-or-anything-enough-i-would/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [As a non-Catholic, and since I was a child, I have been obsessed with the ritual and the beauty of Catholic art. I look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/as-a-non-catholic-and-since-i-was-a-child-i-have-been-obsessed-with/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [The main thing that I want to say is that I don't think women are at their most beautiful in their adolescence or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/the-main-thing-that-i-want-to-say-is-that-i-don-t-think-women-are-at/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [Each time I spend with Stella McCartney, I like her better. So I was excited to be asked by her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/each-time-i-spend-with-stella-mccartney-i-like-her-better-so-i-was/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [A lot of people seem to think that art or photography is about the way things look, or the surface of things. That's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/a-lot-of-people-seem-to-think-that-art-or-photography-is-about-the/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [ Some people have become \[in U.S\] a lot more conservative but I can't really speak about that because I wasn't there. I feel compassion… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/some-people-have-become-in-u-s-a-lot-more-conservative-but-i-can-t/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [I used to think that I could never lose anyone if I photographed them enough. In fact, my pictures show me how much I’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-used-to-think-that-i-could-never-lose-anyone-if-i-photographed-them/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [ I know somewhat about Kate \[Moss who featured in the Vogue spread\]. I always thought that Kate's look had come from my old friend… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-know-somewhat-about-kate-moss-who-featured-in-the-vogue-spread-i/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [I have very healthy strong relationships with women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-have-very-healthy-strong-relationships-with-women/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) [Explore all 99 Nan Goldin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) ## More Benefit quotes > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's not always to the benefit of the story to have it so preordained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-woodrell/it-s-not-always-to-the-benefit-of-the-story-to-have-it-so-preordained/) [Daniel Woodrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-woodrell/) > [I'm less concerned about whether being a good corporate citizen burnishes a company's reputation. That's just an added benefit. I believe it's a responsibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/i-m-less-concerned-about-whether-being-a-good-corporate-citizen/) [Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/) > [The benefit of living in a free society is that we all have the choice to be rich, poor, or middle class. The decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-benefit-of-living-in-a-free-society-is-that-we-all-have-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [For us, my wife and I and all of my partners believe that corporations have to be corporate citizens, and individuals who benefit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walter/for-us-my-wife-and-i-and-all-of-my-partners-believe-that-corporations/) [Mark Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walter/) > [The benefit to building a startup is that customers don't have the same kind of friction when they adopt new technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levie/the-benefit-to-building-a-startup-is-that-customers-don-t-have-the/) [Aaron Levie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-levie/) > [“Because the core of my personal philosophy is that everything that happens to us benefits us, I was also spared the futility of cursing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-the-core-of-my-personal-philosophy-is-that-everything-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing is so good that impious and sacrilegious and wicked people cannot contort its proper benefit into evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/nothing-is-so-good-that-impious-and-sacrilegious-and-wicked-people/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [“Everything I think I’m doing for my own benefit has some incidental evolutionary advantage!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-hamantaschen/everything-i-think-i-m-doing-for-my-own-benefit-has-some-incidental/) [J.R. Hamantaschen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-hamantaschen/) > [The true principle of taxation is the benefit principle - those who benefit from a government service should pay for it. It's also known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/the-true-principle-of-taxation-is-the-benefit-principle-those-who/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [Dance keeps me fit! It's been a huge benefit in my life and it will forever be a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-holker/dance-keeps-me-fit-it-s-been-a-huge-benefit-in-my-life-and-it-will/) [Allison Holker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-holker/) > [Many people do not realize that where unions have bargaining rights employers cannot raise wages or improve benefit plans any more than they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-wilson/many-people-do-not-realize-that-where-unions-have-bargaining-rights/) [Charles E. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-wilson/) > [To use for our exclusive benefit what is not ours is theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/to-use-for-our-exclusive-benefit-what-is-not-ours-is-theft/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [There is almost no topic that can't benefit from being talked about in a humorous way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-parris/there-is-almost-no-topic-that-can-t-benefit-from-being-talked-about/) [Rachel Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-parris/) [Browse all 533 Benefit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never read theory. 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